West Texas–New Mexico League
# West Texas–New Mexico League

The West Texas–New Mexico League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1937 through 1955, with a hiatus from 1943 to 1945 during World War II. The league started as a Class D level league, upgraded to Class C in 1946 and then a final advancement to Class B level status in 1955. League franchises were based exclusively in New Mexico and Texas.

## History

The West Texas–New Mexico League began play in 1937 as a Class D level league, with Milton Price serving as president. The Hobbs Drillers, Midland Cardinals, Monahans Trojans, Odessa Oilers, Roswell Sunshiners and Wink Spudders were the charter members in beginning league play on May 4, 1937.

The Lubbock Hubbers (1938, 1939, 1947), Albuquerque Dukes (1949, 1950, 1953) and Pampa Oilers (1946, 1954, 1955) each won three league championships.

## Cities represented

* Abilene, Texas: Abilene Apaches 1939; Abilene Blue Sox 1946–1955
* Albuquerque, New Mexico: Albuquerque Dukes 1942; Albuquerque Dukes 1946–1955, moved to Western League 1956–1958
* Amarillo, Texas: Amarillo Gold Sox 1939–1942; Amarillo Gold Sox 1946–1955, moved to Western League 1956–1958
* Big Spring, Texas: Big Spring Barons 1938–1940; Big Spring Bombers 1941; Big Spring Pirates 1942
* Borger, Texas: Borger Gassers 1939–1942, 1946–1954
* Clovis, New Mexico: Clovis Pioneers 1938–1942, 1946–1955, moved to Southwestern League 1956
* El Paso, Texas: El Paso Texans 1955, moved to Southwestern League 1956–1957, moved from Arizona–Texas League 1952–1954
* Hobbs, New Mexico: Hobbs Drillers 1937; Hobbs Boosters 1938
* Lamesa, Texas: Lamesa Lobos 1939–1941; Lamesa Dodgers1942; Lamesa Lobos 1946–1952
* Lubbock, Texas: Lubbock Hubbers 1938–1942, 1946–1955, moved to Big State League 1956–1958
* Midland, Texas: Midland Cardinals 1937–1938; Midland Cowboys 1939–1940
* Monahans, Texas: Monahans Trojans 1937
* Odessa, Texas: Odessa Oilers 1937, 1940
* Pampa, Texas: Pampa Oilers 1939–1942, 1946–1955, moved to Southwestern League 1956–1957
* Plainview, Texas: Plainview Ponies 1953–1955, moved to Southwestern League 1956–1957
* Roswell, New Mexico: Roswell Sunshiners1937
* Wichita Falls, Texas: Wichita Falls Spudders 1941–1942
* Wink, Texas: Wink Spudders 1937–1938

## Standings & statistics

### 1937 to 1942

1937 West Texas-New Mexico League - https://www.newspapers.com/clip/61517715/1937-west-texas-new-mexico-league/ schedule]

| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Wink Spudders | 68 | 50 | .576 | - | D.E. Perry / Joe Tate |
| Roswell Sunshiners | 55 | 62 | .470 | 12.5 | Neal Rabe |
| Monahans Trojans | 55 | 64 | .462 | 13.5 | Paul Trammel / Charles Bryan |
| Hobbs Drillers | 45 | 74 | .378 | 23.5 | Ned Pettigrew / Fincher Withers |
| Odessa Oilers | 28 | 17 | .622 | NA | Charles Bryan |
| Midland Cardinals | 41 | 25 | .621 | NA | Wray Query / Joe Davis |

Odessa withdrew June 17; Midland withdrew July 9. Playoffs: Wink 3 games, Hobbs 0: Roswell 3 games, Monahans 2; Finals: Wink 3 games, Roswell 0.

Player statistics :

| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Robert Hood | Wink | BA | .372 | Red Hay | Wink | W | 18 |
| Robert Hood | Wink | Runs | 137 | Marshall Scott | Roswell | W | 18 |
| Mel Reist | Odes/Mona | Hits | 182 | Gene Devine | Roswell | SO | 218 |
| Robert Hood | Wink | RBI | 145 | Red Hay | Wink | ERA | 3.97 |
| Robert Hood | Wink | HR | 30 | Marshall Scott | Roswell | PCT | .750 18-6 |

1938 West Texas-New Mexico League - schedule

| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Lubbock Hubbers | 80 | 49 | .620 | - | Hack Miller |
| Clovis Pioneers | 71 | 58 | .550 | 9.0 | William Ratliff |
| Midland Cardinals | 67 | 62 | .519 | 13.0 | Fincher Withers |
| Wink Spudders | 63 | 65 | .492 | 16.5 | Joe Tate |
| Big Spring Barons | 58 | 71 | .450 | 22.0 | Charlie Barnabee |
| Hobbs Boosters | 48 | 82 | .369 | 32.5 | Neal Rabe |

Playoffs: Lubbock 3 games, Wink 0: Clovis 3 games, Midland 1. Finals: Lubbock 4 games, Clovis 1. Total league attendance, 108,342

Player statistics :

| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Cecil Smyly | Hobbs | BA | .367 | Ernest Nelson | Clovis | W | 20 |
| Cecil Smyly | Hobbs | Runs | 182 | Jerry Blanchard | Lubbock | SO | 265 |
| Cecil Smyly | Hobbs | Hits | 194 | Red Roberts | Wink | ERA | 3.08 |
| Mal Stevens | Lubbock | RBI | 132 | George Bryan | Lubbock | PCT | .688 11-5 |
| Mal Stevens | Lubbock | HR | 31 |
| Jake Suytar | Midland | HR | 31 |

1939 West Texas-New Mexico League - schedule

| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Lubbock Hubbers | 90 | 48 | .652 | - | Salty Parker |
| Pampa Oilers | 78 | 59 | .569 | 11.5 | Grover Seitz |
| Big Spring Barons | 74 | 64 | .536 | 16.0 | Tony Rego |
| Lamesa Lobos | 65 | 73 | .471 | 25.0 | Joe Tate |
| Midland Cowboys | 62 | 75 | .453 | 27.5 | Jimmy Kerr/ Charley Smith / Joe Piet |
| Clovis Pioneers | 60 | 73 | .451 | 27.5 | Dick Ratliff |
| Abilene Apaches / Borger Gassers | 61 | 76 | .445 | 28.5 | Fincher Withers / Charles Bryan |
| Amarillo Gold Sox | 57 | 79 | .419 | 32.0 | Neal Rabe |

Total league attendance, 273,374 Abilene moved to Borger July 9. Playoffs: Lubbock 3 games, Big Spring 0: Pampa 3 games, Lamesa 2. Finals: Lubbock 4 games, Pampa 1.

Player Statistics :

| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Gordon Nell | Pampa | BA | .392 | Jodie Marek | Big Spring | W | 23 |
| Gordon Nell | Pampa | Runs | 152 | Howard Parks | Abil/Borg | SO | 202 |
| Gordon Nell | Pampa | Hits | 207 | Lee Harris | Lubbock | ERA | 2.97 |
| Gordon Nell | Pampa | RBI | 189 | Lee Harris | Lubbock | PCT | .818 18-4 |
| Gordon Nell | Pampa | HR | 44 |

1940 West Texas-New Mexico League - schedule

| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Pampa Oilers | 83 | 56 | .601 | - | Grover Seitz |
| Amarillo Gold Sox | 82 | 58 | .586 | 1.5 | Claude Jonnard |
| Lubbock Hubbers | 81 | 59 | .579 | 2.5 | Charlie Engle |
| Borger Gassers | 79 | 60 | .568 | 4.0 | Pete Susko / Gordon Nell |
| Lamesa Lobos | 71 | 69 | .507 | 12.5 | Joe Tate |
| Midland Cowboys | 59 | 81 | .421 | 24.5 | Sammy Hale |
| Clovis Pioneers | 58 | 80 | .420 | 24.5 | Howard Taylor |
| Big Spring Barons / Odessa Oilers | 45 | 95 | .321 | 38.5 | Tony Rego / Stanley Bolton |

Total league attendance, 240,679 Big Spring moved to Odessa June 20. Playoffs: Borger 3 games, Pampa 0: Lubbock 3 games, Amarillo 0. Finals: Borger 4 games, Lubbock 3.

Player statistics :

| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Edwin Schweda | Lubbock | BA | .422 | Rex Dilbeck | Pampa | W | 23 |
| Grover Seitz | Pampa | Runs | 163 | Willie Ramsdell | Big Spring/Odessa | W | 23 |
| William Scopetone | Big Spring/Borger | Hits | 217 | Russell Crider | Amarillo | SO | 266 |
| Gordon Nell | Borger | RBI | 175 | Pat Ralsh | Lubbock | ERA | 3.25 |
| Gordon Nell | Borger | HR | 40 | Pat Ralsh | Lubbock | PCT | .833 20-4 |

1941 West Texas-New Mexico League - schedule

| Team standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Big Spring Bombers | 91 | 45 | .669 | - | Joe Tate |
| Borger Gassers | 89 | 47 | .654 | 2.0 | Gordon Nell |
| Clovis Pioneers | 76 | 58 | .567 | 14.0 | Howard Taylor / Grover Seitz |
| Amarillo Gold Sox | 72 | 64 | .529 | 19.0 | Claude Jonnard |
| Lubbock Hubbers | 61 | 78 | .439 | 31.5 | Charlie Engle |
| Lamesa Lobos | 59 | 80 | .424 | 33.5 | Sam Scaling |
| Pampa Oilers | 55 | 79 | .410 | 35.0 | Dutch Prather / Sammy Hale |
| Wichita Falls Spudders | 43 | 95 | .312 | 49.0 | Sammy Hale / Neal Rabe |

Total Attendance, 183,395. Playoffs: Big Spring 3 games, Amarillo 0: Clovis 3 games, Borger 2. Finals: Clovis 4 games, Big Spring 3.

Player statistics :

| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Frank Hargrove | Amarillo | BA | .388 | Willie Ramsdell | Big Spring | W | 25 |
| James Haney | Big Spring | Runs | 143 | Russell Crider | Amarillo | SO | 232 |
| Stuart Williams | Borger | Hits | 210 | John McParland | Pampa | ERA | 2.03 |
| Dutch Prather | Pam/Ama | RBI | 142 | Udell Moore | Borger | PCT | .824 14-3 |
| Gordon Nell | Borger | HR | 28 |

1942 West Texas-New Mexico League - schedule

| Team Standings | W | L | PCT | GB | Managers |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Clovis Pioneers | 52 | 19 | .732 | - | Grover Seitz |
| Lamesa Dodgers | 43 | 27 | .614 | 8.5 | Joe Tate |
| Amarillo Gold Sox | 38 | 29 | .567 | 12.0 | Claude Jonnard |
| Pampa Oilers | 36 | 32 | .529 | 14.5 | William Ratliff |
| Borger Gassers | 33 | 39 | .458 | 19.5 | Hugh Willingham |
| Lubbock Hubbers | 30 | 42 | .417 | 22.5 | Monty Stratton |
| Albuquerque Dukes | 25 | 30 | .455 | NA | Dixie Howell / E. Miller |
| Wichita Falls Spudders / Big Spring Pirates | 8 | 47 | .145 | NA | George Milstead |

Wichita Falls moved to Big Spring May 22. The Pirates withdrew June 20.; Albuquerque withdrew June 23. The league disbanded July 25.

Player statistics :

| Player | Team | Stat | Tot | Player | Team | Stat | Tot |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Frank Warren | Borger | BA | .402 | Kenneth Wyatt | Clovis | W | 17 |
| Leroy Koenig | Lubbock | Runs | 88 | Kenneth Wyatt | Clovis | SO | 129 |
| Vincent Castino | Lubbock | Hits | 106 | Kenneth Wyatt | Clovis | ERA | 2.09 |
| Frank Hargrove | Amarillo | RBI | 84 | Kenneth Wyatt | Clovis | PCT | 1.000 17-0 |
| Frank Hargrove | Amarillo | HR | 22 |
